Metal-working apparatus



Patented Feb. 18, 1930 I UNI D- STATES PATENT oFFicE T FRED L. Jams, or JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC C01\T TROLLER 8; MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

OHIO

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF METAL-WORKING APPARATUS My invention relates to metalworking apparatus for magnetically holding work material'such as boiler shells and tank-car tanks, for example,in proper positionw hil'e parts thereof are being secured together by riveting, welding or the like, or it is otherwise acted upon, as by a punching machine.

"The invention is illustrated in its applicationto the operation of riveting the seam of a boiler shell. In the operation of riveting such ashell, it is-first "assembled in cylindrical form, a few pins being driven into some of the rivet holes to hold the parts of the shell together temporarily. The shell is 'then picked;

" up by a crane so that the seams will be vertical and horizontal. The'shell is lowered with a line of rivet holes fora seam between the jaws ofa riveting machine. Rivets are inserted in the rivet holes and set by the riveting machine, the shell being lowered step by step as the'riveting proceeds from hole to hole. The shell will be turned'horizontallystep by step in case a horizontal seam is being riveted. I

Ideally, the rivets should stand, during the riveting operation, radially with .respectto the shell and the movable riveting tool should travel in line with the rivet, which should be in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the shell. j I j 9 When a rivet has b een put in place preparatory to riveting and the head of th'e'rivet is brought into its seat in the stationary head or anvil of theriveting machine, the rivet becomes a pivot on which the shell may swing horizontally so that. the rivet will stand in linewith the center line of the shell or normal;

with the surface ofthe shell at the point where the rivet is. Usually two men standing at opposite sides ofthe riveting machine apposeof moving the shell laterally until a verti'cal plane. including the axial center of the shell shall be broughtas nearly as possible to such a position that the movable tool or hammer of the riveting machine will reciprocate in that plane. The men often fail to satisfactorily position theshell, so that some of the rivets are improperly set. Such rivets may cause leaks and. must be chipped out and 9 replaced.

ply their shoulders to the shell for the pur-.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide electromagnetic means for holding the shell or other work material inproper position for perfect riveting or other operation.

My inventioncontemplates the use of mag netizing means comprising one or more magnetswithin or without the shell or work piece, the magnetizing means being located so that the resultant pull or pulls will center or adjust the shell or work piece in any desired position with respect to the operating device. If the shell or equivalent is not made of magnetizable material, a magnetizable piece may be clamped or otherwise connected to the shell or other Work piece, adjacent to each magnetizing means, so that the shell or Work piece will be adjusted the same as if it were entirely of magnetizable material.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention,the sling being omitted, and Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a modification in which two magnets are employed within the shell, and also showing how the invention is adapted to work on non-magnetizable work pieces. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing how the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be adapted for use with non-magnetizable work pieces.

On the drawing 1 is a standard supporting the stationary cupped. jaw or anvil 2 of a riveting machine and 3 is a standard for sup porting the movable tool 4 which engages the outer ends of the rivets in the usual manner.

5 is a boiler shell composed of magnetizable material and suspended in a vertical position by means of the sling comprising the chains 6 connected to the upper end of the shell and the ring 7 which is for connection to the hoisting hook of a crane, not shown. The shell is lowered over the standard 1 with the wall of the shell between the jaw 2 and'the tool 4. The rivets are inserted in therivet holes and set in the usual manner. The apparatus so far as described above is old and well known.

8 is a circular electromagnet supported by the column 9 so that the horizontal or axial center of the magnet, the jaws 2, and the direction of reciprocation of the hammer to tool 4 are in a straight horizontal line. The.

column is adj ustable' horizontally in the base 10 by means of the screw 11 or other appropriate device. The magnet has its active faces arranged in a vertical plane outside the shell, the said plane being normal to a line joining the axial center of the magnet and the jaw 2 and line of travel of the tool 1. Thecolumn 9 supports two horizontal arms 12 which extend beyond the active face 13 of the magnet at such a distance that the rollers 14 on the free ends of the arms engage. the shell and prevent the magnet when energized from drawing it into contact with said face.

,[Experiments have shown that if the shell swings laterally on the head 15 of a rivet 16 to such a position as that shown in the dotted surved line 17, the shell will, when the magnet is energized, be swung substantially to the position shown in full lines, that is, so that the center of the magnet, the axial center of the shell andthe jaw'fZwill be substantially in a straight line, orso nearly thereto as not to cause defective riveting. The mag netwill pull the shell so that the metal thereof next to it will be substantially symmetrically disposed on both sides of a vertical plane which includes the center of the magnet and line of travel of the tool 4. c

' It is-not essential that the magnet shall holdthe shell with its diameter exactly in line with the center of the magnet. In several instances the diameter of the shell has been held dis-placed as much as two inches from the center of the magnet without causing defective riveting. My invention therefore comprehends the holding of the shell or other work in sucha position that satisfactory riveting can be efiected, even if the shell or other workisheld displaced from the center of the magnet considerably more than two inches. 1 A

Means such as the arms 12 and rollers 14: for contact with the shell may be omitted, but these or equivalent contact means are advisable'because, ifthey are omitted, the shell may engage the face of the magnet which will preventthe shell-from swinging as close as may be desired to the ideal' position described. The rollers14: are preferably of the castor type so that they will permit vertical,

aswell as rotating, movements of the shell with as little friction as possible. 7 1

The magnetnot only centers the shell as described, but it pulls it tightly against the head'of the rivet in the cup of the jaw 2.0 r 18 and 19 are current supply lines for the magnet and 20 is a switch in the line 18 by which current may beadmittedzto the windingsof-the magnet or cut ofi therefrom.

In Fig.3, I show a shell 5 assumed to be ofnon-magnetizable material, and two magnets} 8 and 8 within the shelh These; magable material;

net-s are shown attached to arms 21 attached 7 i the magnets are energized, the flux between; them and the pieces 22 will adjust the shell as if the entire shell were made of magnetiz- Fig. 4' shows a magnetizable pieceQQ -ar-V ranged within the shell 5 which'is assumed 7 tov be of nonmagnetizable material. Here also the magnetic flux acting on the piece 22* will adjust the shell the same as in Fig. 1., Iclaim: f

, 1. In'an apparatus for'fastening together two members of a substantially symmetrically shaped piece, a device having a portion acting as a pivot on which said piece may swing,

an ,electro-magnet for swinging said piece into "a position of symmetry substantially with respect to said pivot.

' 2. In an apparatus for working on 'cylinders, a reciprocating tool arranged to work on the cyllnder at one side of the axial center thereof, a centering means having a seat for the side of the cylinder opposite the said center from the, said tool, the seatwhen engaged by the cylinder positioning the cylinder so that the surfacethereof at a point where it is engaged by the tool is substantially at right angles to the line of travel of the tool, and an electromagne't positioned to move the cylinder intothe seat and hold it therein.

3. In an apparatus for'working on cylin I ders, areciprocatingtool arranged to work on the sheet at one side of the axial center thereof, a seatat the opposite side of the said axial center to recelve the convex side of the cylinder, the seat being shaped to accommodate a convex portion of the cylinder and having its effective center in line with the direction, of travel of the tool, and an electromagnet at the convex side of the seat to attract the cylinder and hold it in the seat.

4. In a machine for riveting a cylinder for o 7 a boiler,tank, or the like, whereinthe cylin-' der is supported with itsaxial' centersubstantially 'vertical, -an anvil cooperating with a reciprocating tool for heading a rivetextending through the cylinder wall, and electromagnetic means for automatically swinging the cylinder on the anvil as a pivot so thatthe cylinder wall at the pivot i's' 'substantially normal to the direction of travel of the tool.

7 5. In a machine for riveting a cylinder for. a boiler, tank or the like, wherein the cylinder is supported with its axial center substana tiallyvertical, an anvil for supporting one end of a rivet extending through the cyling der wall, a reciprocating toolfor headingv the rivet, and electromagnetic means for automatically swinging the cylinder on the anvil as a pivot so that the cylinder wall atthe pivot is substantially normal to the direction of travel ofthe tool.

6. In a machine for riveting a cylinder for a boiler, tank or the like, wherein the cylinposed to produce substantially equal attraction at opposite sides of a vertical plane which includes the line of travel of the tool.

7. In a machine for riveting acylinder for a boiler, tank or the like, wherein the cylinder is supported with its axial center substantially vertical, an anvil for supporting one end of arivet extending through the cylinder wall, a reciprocating tool for heading the rivet, and an electromagnet having a vertical active face external of the cylinder at a point thereof opposite the anvil,'for moving the cylinder about the anvil as a pivot.

8. In a machine for riveting a cylinder for y a boiler, tank or the like, wherein the cylinder is supported with its axial center substantially vertical, an anvil for supporting one end of a rivet extending through the cylinder wall, a'reciprocating tool for heading the rivet, electromagnetic means for automatically swinging the cylinder on the anvil as a pivot so that the cylinder wall at the pivot is substantially normal to the direction of travel of the tool, and means preventing the cylinder from contacting with the said means. I

9. In a machine for riveting a cylinder for aboiler, tank or the like, wherein the cylinder is supportedwith its axial center substantially vertical, an anvil for supporting one end of a rivet extending through the cylinder wall, a reciprocating tool for heading the rivet, electromagnetic means for automatical- "1y swlnging the cylinder on the anvil as a pivot so that thecylinder wall at the pivot is moved to be substantially normal to thedirection'of travel of the tool, and means pre venting the cylinder from contacting with the said means, the saidpreventing means comprising arms pro ectmg beyond the magnet.

10. In a machine for riveting a cylinder for a boiler, tank or the like, wherein the cyl-' inder is supported with its axial center substantially vertical, an anvil for supporting one end of a rivet extending through the cylinder wall, a reciprocating tool for heading the rivet, an electromagnet having a round vertical active face external of the cylinder at a point thereof opposite the anvil the center of the magnet being substantially in line with the line of travel of the tool, and means preventing the cylinder from contacting with the electromagnet.

11. In an apparatus for working on cylinders, a reciprocating tool arranged to work on a cylinder and a centering device including an electro-magnet and a seat shaped to accommodate the cylinder and having its eifective center in line with the travel of the tool, the electro-magnet being at the convex side of the seat and out of contact with the cylinder whereby the cylinder may freely move independently thereof and be centered on the seat by the electro-magnet.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature,

FRED L. JONES. 

